Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Report: Florida Officials Told To Not Discuss Virus In Public Before Election
South Florida Sun Sentinel: Secrecy And Spin: How Florida’s Governor Misled The Public On The COVID-19 Pandemic
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration engaged in a pattern of spin and concealment that misled the public on the gravest health threat the state has ever faced, a South Florida Sun Sentinel investigation has found. DeSantis, who owes his job to early support from President Donald Trump, imposed an approach in line with the views of the president and his powerful base of supporters. The administration suppressed unfavorable facts, dispensed dangerous misinformation, dismissed public health professionals, and promoted the views of scientific dissenters who supported the governor’s approach to the disease. (Ariza, Fleshler and Krischer Goodman, 12/3)
The Hill: Florida Officials Were Asked To Avoid Public Statements On Coronavirus Before Election: Report
Florida state officials were asked to avoid public statements regarding the coronavirus in the lead up to the 2020 election, according to an investigative report by the Sun Sentinel. Three Florida health officials, who told the Sentinel they wished to remain unidentified, said they were told not to speak about COVID-19 until after the Nov. 3 election. Instead, they were instructed to talk about other health issues like the flu and hearing loss. (Choi, 12/3)
The Washington Post: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Day Of Prayer For Coronavirus Victims Draws Backlash
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt's announcement has drawn a scathing backlash from critics seeking more stringent measures to slow the spread of the virus, rallying support for the mask mandates that have gained increasingly bipartisan traction across the country. Many ridiculed the [Republican] governor’s announcement online. Some of the most pointed critiques came from the faith communities Stitt appealed to with his proclamation. The Rev. Shannon Fleck, the executive director of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches, put out a statement saying that “prayer should be accompanied by a willingness to act.” (Knowles, 12/3)
And states cope with post-Thanksgiving surges —
AP: Whitmer May Extend Partial Shutdown Of Schools, Businesses
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday that her administration may extend portions of a three-week partial shutdown of schools and businesses next week because of the “sheer volume” of coronavirus cases in Michigan. The Democratic governor said no decision had been made, but that hospitals can’t be overrun with COVID-19 patients. Although the infection curve has leveled off, it is a “dangerous moment,” she said. The state reported 175 additional deaths, including 63 in the most recent 24-hour period and 112 from a records review. That total was the fifth-most during the pandemic, Whitmer said. (Eggert, 12/3)
Indianapolis Star: Indiana Sets New Record For Highest Number Of New Coronavirus Cases
On the heels of the Thanksgiving weekend, Indiana once more broke a record for new coronavirus cases. Thursday the state reported 8,527 new cases of COVID-19 and 60 additional deaths. All but 13 of the cases reported were confirmed Wednesday, breaking the state's previous record of 8,283 cases for Nov. 13. After seeing the number of new cases dip in the aftermath of the four-day holiday, health officials have said there could be an upswing in cases due to earlier delays in reporting test results. (Rudavsky, 12/3)
Philadelphia Inquirer: Pa. Reports 11,000 New Cases Of COVID-19 In One Day, And Asks Public To Help Protect Hospitals From Filling
Pennsylvania shattered its record for coronavirus cases logged in a single day by a staggering amount Thursday, reporting more than 11,000 new infections — just one week after Thanksgiving, which experts had predicted could fuel a significant surge. The day’s increase continued the exponential trajectory of the virus’ spread since the start of November, when days with a few thousand newly reported cases broke records and caused alarm. And it means 50,000 Pennsylvanians have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last seven days. (McDaniel and McCarthy, 12/3)
Boston Globe: Baker Says Record-Setting Number Of COVID-19 Cases In State Shows Widespread Community Transmission
The pandemic reached alarming new levels Thursday as confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts surged by nearly 6,500, shattering a record set just a day earlier, and the nation recorded 3,100 deaths from COVID-19, the highest single-day toll to date. State public health officials reported 49 more deaths, bringing the total during the pandemic to 10,637. Cases rose to 232,264, and new data showed that nearly 100 of the state’s 351 cities and towns are considered high-risk. (Fox and Andersen, 12/3)
KHN: Last Call For COVID: To Avoid Bar Shutdowns, States Serve Up Curfews
As states and cities around the country enact curfews on bars and restaurants to limit the spread of COVID-19, many different calls are being made on “last call.” In Massachusetts, eateries must stop serving at 9:30 p.m. New York, Ohio and an increasing number of states are setting 10 p.m. closing times for indoor dining, while in Oklahoma, bars and restaurants can keep the rounds going until the wee hour of 11 p.m. In Virginia, alcohol has to be off the tables at 10 p.m., but restaurants can stay open until midnight. (Rau, 12/4)
Also —
Bangor Daily News: 8 Places Have Seen Repeat Virus Outbreaks As COVID-19 Surges To Record Levels In Maine
The coronavirus has been circulating in Maine for so long now, and is spreading so intensely this fall, that some nursing homes and other places that saw infectious outbreaks earlier in the pandemic are now facing them again. In some cases, their repeat bouts with the virus have been more dire. Five elder care centers have now had repeat outbreaks, which state public health officials define as three or more related cases. Two of them — Durgin Pines in Kittery and Clover Health Care in Auburn — have had particularly severe outbreaks this fall compared to the ones they surmounted last spring. (Eichacker, 12/3)
North Carolina Health News: Some Of The Worst NC COVID Outbreaks Are In Rural Areas
Avery County was North Carolina’s last coronavirus holdout. In early May, as cases mounted elsewhere, the mountainous county had not seen a single case. By mid-May, however, the tiny border county had lost that distinction, as county officials reported a case. (Engel-Smith, 12/3)
KHN: After A Deadly COVID Outbreak, Maryland County Takes Steps To Protect Health Workers
A Maryland health department is taking new steps to protect its workers six months after a COVID-19 outbreak killed a veteran employee who was twice denied permission to work from home. Chantee Mack, 44, died in May. More than 20 colleagues also caught the coronavirus, and some are suffering lasting problems. (Ungar, 12/4)
